Cohen NEPA Summit Report

On December 2 and 3, 2014, the Environmental Law Institute, the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, and Perkins Coie LLP sponsored a two-day conference on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Entitled the Cohen NEPA Summit, the conference honored the work and lifelong service of William M. Cohen who, before his death in 2010, was one of the nation’s leading NEPA practitioners, instructors, and mentors. The dual purposes of the conference were to examine how and whether NEPA has achieved its objectives and to identify possible improvements in implementing NEPA. Approximately 45 NEPA experts attended the conference. The participants represented a broad spectrum of stakeholder interests, including the federal government, states, private companies, non-profit groups, and academia. The report describes conference proceedings and recommendations.

NAEP Cohen NEPA Summit Panels Report

On Wednesday April 13th 2016 the NEPA Track at the NAEP Annual Conference presented a series of panel discussions on the Cohen NEPA Summit. Panelists included many attendees from the Cohen Summit and key leaders of NEPA practice. The purpose of the panels was to both disseminate the recommendations generated by the Cohen NEPA Summit and solicit ideas from conference attendees on how to improve NEPA practice. The four panels were:

Organize NEPA’s Role in Government and Recommit Senior Leadership

Maximize the Flexibility of the CEQ Regulations for Open Government as NEPA Intended

Invest in Streamlining

Develop a 21st Century Environmental Impact Assessment Structure

The Cohen NEPA Summit panel sessions were followed by a summation by panel chairs over lunch on Thursday April 14th. The report summarizes presentations by each panel and includes comments received from conference attendees.